CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The U.S. Department of Justice announced in a press release that 43-year-old Juan Pablo Ramirez of Mission, Tx will serve nine years in federal prison on cocaine trafficking charges.
In January of this year, Ramirez drove his truck to the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint, where an inspection of his truck revealed five packages of cocaine hidden in the truck’s dashboard.
A one-day trial in July by a federal jury convicted Ramirez for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute it. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos then ordered Ramirez to serve nine years in prison followed immediately by four years of supervised release.
According to authorities, Ramirez's sentencing was determined by the number of drugs involved in the offense, his criminal history and a prior conviction for trafficking meth.
Ramirez will remain in Texas custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility that will be determined in the months to come.
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